Google IO

Google I/O 2015 tipped to be another send-off point for Google Cardboard, the company's virtual reality pre-brand. The stars are aligned. It's time for Google to treat Cardboard - and the virtual reality community in general - like the sleeping tiger it really is. This week at Google I/O 2015, Google is likely to reveal far more than they did last year, when the VR headset Google Cardboard was given away with barely a word on what it was capable of doing. This platform is about to blow open.

With Google's I/O developers conference only two days away, Android enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting news and details on the next version of the operating system, codenamed Android M. But while the event may primarily focus on software development, it can also be a starting point for speculation about what hardware will be released under Google's Nexus brand later in the year. One of the latest rumors building up is that there will be two Nexus smartphones to see release in 2015, however there may not be a Nexus tablet.

There have been rumblings for some time now of Google spinning off the photos features of Google+ into a separate app, and now, with the company's I/O 2015 event only days away, some of the first images of the Android version have been leaked. The timing can't be a coincidence. Google is expected to announce Android M, the code name for the latest version of the mobile OS, and a new photos app could play a big part in the new software offerings.

Yep, it's that time of year again. Google fans and Android faithful will be glued to their screens, that is, if they're not already preparing to make an appearance at the mothership in California. Naturally, the rumor mill is teeming with what may or may not happen at the developers conference. And of course, we have our own picks of what we believe will take place, or at least wish will take place at Google I/O 2015 next week. We start off, in no particular order, with the most obvious of them all.

Google is tipped to be developing another new operating system, this time for the Internet of Things. This new operating system is code-named "Brillo" and will connect all devices connected to the internet. This software may be launched under the Android brand and could have the ability to run on low-powered devices. This would be another open source operating system that would allow companies of all sorts to join in on the web-connected party with ease, and more importantly, cheaply, too.

In just a few weeks, two to be exact, Google's main developer conference will be taking place. And to prepare attendees as well as interested onlookers, the company has launched a couple of tools, the last bit being the annual Google I/O app. Both a virtual ticket to the I/O world as well as a reference for app designers, this I/O 2015 incarnation lets you draw up your own schedule for the two-day event, mix and match sessions, and even review the highlights of the previous years.

Today Android M was listed by Google in their collection of events for Google I/O. This is Google's yearly developers conference, one where it's common for Google to reveal a new flavor of Android - or at least major updates for flavors of Android. At this year's Google I/O 2015, Google's first mention of Android M has appeared. This will most likely end up being called Android Marshmallow. Meanwhile there's a rumor that the Nexus 9 will be replaced amid some (relatively outlying) price drops abroad.

Now that the Google I/O schedule is here, a lot is being made of little tidbits of info found in the session descriptions. That’s exactly what they’re there for; to get bloggers speculating and fans excited. As we find more breadcrumbs on the way to Google I/O later this month, two early curiosities pop out. First, there’s a single mention of ‘Android M’ in an Android at Work breakout session. Second, a wearable that will “literally” blow our socks off.

With Google I/O just around the corner, Developers around the globe are anxiously anticipating what Google has in store for us all. The Google I/O website was just updated, so we’re now getting a chance to see what Google has planned. It’s also the time we use to get a sneak peek at what sessions are available, hoping to extrapolate some nuggets of info. While the sessions may not be completely fleshed out, we’re getting a good idea of what’s going to happen later this month at Moscone West.

Google I/O 2015 is almost upon us, so of course we're bound to hear a lot about what's expected to land at Google's annual developer conference. Among those expected bits and pieces, which includes Android Pay, for example, one particular rumored announcement is causing some app developers to take serious note. According to developers who have been briefed on the matter, Google will use I/O 2015 as a launchpad to reveal it latest tool to help developers maximize and monetize their apps, what the industry calls A/B testing.

Google’s annual Developers conference, Google I/O, is happening in in late May. Though you’ve got plenty of time before you need to be in San Francisco, registration for the event opens today (actually about an hour ago!). In the past, you’d be scrambling to get yourself a ticket, but those days are gone. Rather than the stampede it once was, the event invitations are now lottery-based, which at least eases server strain. If you want to attend, here’s what you need to do.

Write once, deploy everywhere. It’s the dream for Developers — well, everywhere — but isn’t always as simple as it sounds. With so many screens and so many platforms, there typically has to be a lot of manipulation of an app to work in multiple places. Ahead of I/O, Google is laying out reason that might not always be the case, with a reference app that is usable on a smartphone, tablet, Android Auto, Android Wear, and usable with Google Cast — with a single codebase.